Armed Robber Exiled to 25 Years in Federal Prison
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Andre M. Davis sentenced Timothy Sims, age 28, of Pikesville, Maryland, today to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for bank robbery with a dangerous weapon and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
On January 9, 2007, Sims and two other men entered a First Mariner Bank located in Anne Arundel County. According to bank witnesses, the men wore masks and gloves and at least one of the men displayed a firearm. One of the armed men dragged bank employees from their offices and into the front teller area of the bank, injuring one victim. That individual pointed a gun at the employees to insure their compliance.
Meanwhile, another robber jumped over the teller line and began demanding that the bank employees behind the line empty the teller drawers and provide money to the robbers. The robbers stole approximately $34,600. A third male, also armed, stood in the middle of the teller area while his two companions removed the money and handled the employees. Witnesses also observed a fourth male sitting in the driver’s seat of a Ford Taurus, parked immediately outside the bank as an escape vehicle.
After several moments, the robbers left the bank, jumped into the waiting Ford Taurus, and left the bank. Witnesses reported to Anne Arundel County Police that the men were escaping, and several witnesses followed the car. The robbers eventually abandoned the Ford and got into a waiting GMC Yukon SUV. Witnesses informed police of the new vehicle and continued to call with the robbers’ location.
Members of the Anne Arundel County Police Department set a road block on Route 2 when they received information that the robbers were approaching that area. When the robbers came within sight of the police, they turned off Route 2 into a shopping center parking lot. The robbers stopped the car near a wooded area and fled into the woods with officers following.
Officers arrested all four robbers. Timothy Sims was the last person arrested. Officers located him inside an underground drainage system, where he hid for several hours and refused police instructions to exit. Eventually officers brought a police dog to the location, and Sims surrendered when he heard the dog barking.
Also according to the plea agreement, on June 20, 2006, Sims and two other men attempted to rob the proprietor of two gas stations. When the proprietor brought a cigar box with the stations’ proceeds to be deposited in a nearby bank, a male wearing a black T-shirt with a cartoon on the front, later identified as Sims, accosted him and attempted to steal the cigar box from the victim’s hands. A struggle ensued, and the victim prevented the male from obtaining the cigar box. The male suspect, as well as a second male nearby, fled the bank parking lot, entered a waiting Ford Explorer, and left the area. The victim and other witnesses provided a description of the departing vehicle to Baltimore County officers, who located and conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. Inside the car they identified three men, including Sims who was wearing a black T-shirt with a cartoon in front, as described by the victim.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy, the Baltimore City Police Department, Baltimore County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon, who is prosecuting the case.
